Mets' Francisco Lindor discusses Pete Alonso's walk year

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor opened up during the latest edition of "The Show" podcast hosted by MLB insiders Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman about teammate and All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso likely playing in a walk year in 2024. 

"From a player standpoint, you got to understand who you are," Lindor explained, as shared by Robert Sanchez of SNY. "I think that’s the most important thing. Understanding who you are and how you perform thinking about [contract] numbers. If you don’t perform [well] thinking about numbers then you should try and get [a deal] done in the offseason, at the beginning of spring training and then don’t worry about it the rest of the season. But if you can talk about numbers and you can talk about the future while you’re in the thick of it, then sure, go ahead and play through it and talk about money in the middle of the year. That shouldn’t be a problem." 

Alonso would do well to listen to Lindor's advice. Lindor originally joined the Mets via a trade with the franchise now known as the Cleveland Guardians in early 2021, then signed a 10-year contract extension that could be worth up to $341M that spring shortly before an unofficial Opening Day deadline he set for negotiations. 

To compare, both outfielder Brandon Nimmo and closer Edwin Diaz reached free agency following the 2022 campaign but ultimately signed new deals with the Mets. Nimmo was represented by Scott Boras, the agent hired by Alonso this past fall and somebody who often encourages players to hit the open market. 

"However, I think Pete is in a unique situation because, first of all, not everybody gets to go through this process," Lindor continued. "Second, in a way, he can control his own destiny, and that’s beautiful. If he doesn’t sign now, he’s going to get an opportunity in free agency again with the Mets. Nimmo did it, and there’s other players that have done it as well." 

Lindor reportedly has embraced more of a leadership role over the past handful of months en route to possibly becoming the club's next captain. While there's currently no indication that Alonso will put pen to paper on a contract extension ahead of Opening Day 2024, he may want to remember that Lindor guaranteed himself generational wealth without having to worry about the stress that comes with playing through a contract year.